Anxiety-like behaviour is attenuated by gabapentin, morphine and diazepam in a rodent model of HIV anti-retroviral-associated neuropathic pain.
Neuropathic pain is commonly associated with affective disorders such as anxiety and depression. We have previously characterised a rodent model of HIV, anti-retroviral-associated neuropathy in which rats develop hypersensitivity to a punctate mechanical stimulus and display anxiety-like behaviour in the open field paradigm. To assess the potential of this behavioural paradigm for the assessment of pain related co-morbidities in rodent models of pain, here we test the sensitivity of this anxiety-like behaviour to the analgesic agents gabapentin and morphine in comparison to the known anxiolytic drug diazepam. We found that gabapentin (30 mg/kg, i.p.) and morphine (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.), which reduce mechanical hypersensitivity in these rats, significantly reduces measures of thigmotaxis in the open field. The effect of gabapentin and morphine did not differ significantly from diazepam (1 mg/kg, i.p.). This study highlights the potential use of this rodent model and behavioural paradigm in the validation of the affective component of novel analgesic pharmacological targets and elucidation of underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.
Wallace
Victoria C J
VC
Pain Research Group, Department of Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9NH, UK.
Segerdahl
Andrew R
AR
Blackbeard
Julie
J
Pheby
Timothy
T
Rice
Andrew S C
AS
D000588:Amines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000820:Animal Diseases; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003975:Diazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D000077206:Gabapentin; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000588:Amines; D000700:Analgesics; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin; D009020:Morphine; D003975:Diazepam